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April 26, 2021 By Christina Santucci
A Queens mother of six-week-old twins was arraigned Saturday on charges of brutally murdering her babies in the Woodside Houses, authorities said.
Danezja Kilpatrick, 23, was charged with two counts of first and second degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Queens district attorney’s office.
Police found the lifeless bodies of her 46-day-old boy and girl – Dallis and Dakota Bentley – Thursday afternoon inside the building at 31-76 51st St., after relatives called the cops to check on Kilpatrick.
When officers showed up to her fifth-floor apartment, Kilpatrick reportedly told them, “I didn’t want them anymore,” and, “They are dead.”
The baby boy was discovered in his bassinet with a knife in his neck, and the baby girl was stuffed in a plastic garbage bag under the kitchen sink, the district attorney’s office said.
Prosecutors said that the killings took place as early as Monday, April 18.
During her arraignment Saturday, prosecutors said Kilpatrick had first tried unsuccessfully to poison the babies by mixing Pine Sol into their milk – then allegedly scalded one child with hot water and used a knife on the other, the NY Daily News reported.
“This is a tragic, heart-wrenching case. Two babies – boy and girl twins – are dead and their mother charged with doing the unthinkable,” DA Melinda Katz said in a statement.
“This should have been a joyous time for this family, instead the babies’ relatives are mourning their deaths and the sad fact that the one person who should have been their protector and loving caregiver allegedly killed them,” Katz continued.
Queens Criminal Court Judge Stephanie Zaro ordered Kilpatrick to be held without bail, and the young mother was also placed under the care of a doctor while in custody, the News reported.
Kilpatrick is scheduled to appear in court in May, and if convicted, she faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
A call to her attorney was not immediately returned.
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10 Comments
They really need to evaluate mothers at childbirth and any single moms should be required to have visitors to make sure “they are doing fine” and not fall into post pregnancy depression. Where is the father?
Sad & Tragic.
The one who is supposed to be their protector, was their killer.
They already had the VIGIL. Next will come the GoFundMe page to cover the funeral expenses. And,of course, more money for mental health services.
And if this monster had had a late term abortion Cuomo would have given her a parade
Hey jimmy van bramer and gianaris
Will you comment on this heinous crime ?
“Save the children”? Save your mind first, since clearly you are irrational enough to believe that abortion is to blame here. It’s a shame this woman DIDNT have an abortion or better access to mental health care; either of those things would have prevented this tragedy.
Oh, Gigi: are you a fool without a mind? What is the difference between killing the babies on their delivery date which you can do thanks to Cuomo, and killing them weeks later? They are still human beings worthy of protection!
“Didn’t want them any more” – has this loon not heard of adoption? Or the Safe Haven Baby Law? This was a terrible, terrible violent crime against defenseless infants. The babies cry out for justice.
There are pictures of the suspect being escorted out of the precinct on many other news outlets.
This crime seems like a candidate for an episode of the reality based documentary show called Deadly Women. Not good for the neighborhood reputation with all the recent shootings and crime in the area.
Another horrifying, sad and tragic event taking place in our own neighborhood. I can only conclude that the mother is suffering from mental illness and it goes to show everyone how social services like daycare and mental health outreach programs are needed so badly in this city.